Railway-bed and rail-support.



J. B. THOMAS.

RAILWAY BED AND RAIL SUPPORT. APPLICATION FILED MAB. 21, 1912.

1,109,267. 'A n mental,sept.1,1914.Y

2 slums-SHEET 1.

1 B. THOMAS. 'RAILwAjf BBD AND BAIL SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21. 1912.

1,109,267.. y 'Patenwasept.1,1914

'2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

w/Tn/Ess v u /NVE/vro q. l 'Jay/vamo As Arron/vus iso 4.Toruv E. THOMAS, or LAKEWOOD, NEW JERSEY.

RAILWAY-:enn- AND RAIL-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 21, 1912. Serial N o. 685,146.

Toall' whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Lakewood, county of Ocean, State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Railway-Beds and Rail-Supports, of which the following is a specification. I

j My invention relates t' railway bedsand railsupports and has forl one of its objects to construct a complete railway bed andrai'l support of reinforced concrete or like material ina single unit in which due allowance is made for expansion and contractionA caused by changes of temperature 1n the atmosphere.

'Another object` of my improvement 1s to make it possible to remove and replace the railway the railway bed and rail supports.

Other objects of my invention will appear from the descrip-tion hereinafter and the featuresof novelty will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 isa perspective View of the improvement suspended inposition ready to have the forms or molds placed in position to receive the' concrete; Fig. 2 is a detail cross-section on anenlarged scale of a portionof' thev completed bed and support; Fig. 3 is a planview of the same ;v Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 4.--14 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5- is a horizontal section of one ot the combined sole and sh plates; Fig 6 is a simil-ar view of used at the joint between two rail ends and Fig. Z is a view similar to Figa 2 of a slightly different form of my invention.

In the drawings 10 are the rails which in the form of nay invention shown Figs. 1 and 2 each 4 have their base resting upon a cushion 11 of wood `or any other suitable materiali. These cushions 11 extend lengthwise throughout the length of the rails and preferablfy do not project beyond the Longitudinal edges of the rail' bases. At intervals throughout the length of the rails I prpvide sh plates 12 which are formed with integral portions 12 the upper surface of the rail base and are further preferably formed with integral portions 12b adapted to engage the edgeofthe' raiflzbase and the side of the cushions 11' and preferably conrails without in the least disturbing one of the said plates adaptedto engage 'i each other.

, with the lower surface of said cushion v11 to ,form sole plates 13. Fish plates 14 are lo-l portions l2a upper surface of the rail base. The said fish Q plates 14 are also formed with downwardly .projecting portions 14h y edge of the rail base and side of the cushion 7 11 in a manner similar to the portions 12", g said portions 14b being further provided. g wih portions 14 arranged to extend beneath an 5 plates 13. Boltsy 15 extending through the g fish plates and raill web and coperating nui-ts 16 serve to properly secure the said fish l plates and connected parts in operativel position, Anchor rods- 17, 18 extend respeci tively through suitable openings 13-a and 13h I in they sole plates 13 so as to depend there` from and are' provided with heads 17a, 18a

-seated insai-d openings and adapted toy maintain said rods against movement in a 1 downward direction. Thev upper surfaces o-f the heads- 17a-18in the assembled condil tion of the parts are preferably Hush with the upper surfaces' of the sole plates 13 and portion 17", 18b for supporting the reinforcf ing bars 19, 20- which extend' longitudinally g beneath thel rails 10..v Cross-reinforcing bars 21, 22 are lf'ocated at spaced intervals 4 throughout the structure 1 by the reinforcing bars 19, 2 0, hooks 21, 22zt i on each bar 21-22 serving to prevent latferal displacement thereof relatively to the bars 19, 20. In actual use, I prefer to locate the rods 17, l8in different planes and to positionthe bars 21, 22 rtherewith or in close proximity theretoy so .that the rods 17, 18, bars 19,- 20 and cross- .bars 21, 22will be staggered relatively to In order to facilitate the insertion of the anchor rods 17 through the openwhich engage the Patented sept. 1, 1914.7 i

[,tinued to extend beneath and in Contact f ,tioned so as to register therewith, and are provided with portions 148L similar to the and also adapted to engage the engage the lower surface of the Vsole i bear against the lower surface of the cushand are supported 1n engagement in 13a-in the sole plate, I preferably proopenings 12c in the portion12 andl in alinement with the openings 13a. After the partsv so far described have been assembled the structure will have the appearance illustrated in Fig. 1, it beingnnderstoodthat l this structure-'is suitably supported on temporarysupports of any convenient descripi' tion to 'x theisame in the desired position,-

and preferably with the reinforcing bars -and the ends 18b of the anchor rods 18 at a distance from the ground. Forms of any :suitablekinds'are now placed lengthwise of 'fis , bed and rail support. These forms maybeljeac'h'rail"and parallel with the cross-reinforcing bars21, 22y at' a distance therefrom to secure the intended results andthe thickness of concrete desired in the finished' lroad temporarily secured in-any well known way,

after whichVA concrete or'any other coalescent materialis poured into the same and permitted to set or harden. `Owing to the fact thatthe bars 20 and the ends` 18 are located at afdistancefabove the ground, this concrete will-ilow beneath the same and al suiiicient quantity is poured into the forms to completely` surround the bars 20 and 22, as lwell as the'bars 19 and' 21.v In the forms extending'alongy therrails the concrete or other material is introduced in sufficient quantity-to extend to about the level of the upper surfaces of the cushions 11 and thus embedding th'e said anchor rods 17 and 18 in concrete throughout the greater portion of their length. This concrete or other material after it has set thus forms parallel sleepers.' 23 which extend beneath the rails 10 and-'cross-braces 24' located at intervals and projecting from one sleeper 23 to the other, both the sleepers and the cross-braces being reinforced by the bars 19, 20, 21 and 22 and the anchor rods 17 and l18 and forming a single, complete unitary railway bed and rail support .on which the rails are firmly secured and uniformly supported through-- out.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 7 the cushions 11 are omitted and the rail base and sole plates 18 are in direct Contact with each other, this'jform being preferably. in'all other respects an exact duplicate of the form rst described. It will be seen that in both forms of my improvement all the work of bolting and assembling the rails, the cushions, the reinforcing barsand anchor rods is done, or may be done, before theconcrete or other material is poured and preferably no workv is performed on the bed or on the rails after this pouring of the material has taken place. This method serves to secure the best results and is the most elicie'nt manner of erecting concrete work, as it prevents injury to the said concrete which would occur if adjustments of the various parts were made after l l the concretehadgbeen poured. The cushions ofwood or other material when used serve to take up or absorb the vibration induced by traflic over the rails or any other cause andprevent injury to the concrete or other material from suchcauses, and when in pofsition areprotected against the effect of the elements'on the *bottom and two sides by the concrete or similar material and on the top by thev base ofthe rails, thus assuring sa-1d cushions a maximum life and perlod of usefulness. My improvement also provides a continuous and even support throughout the entire length vand breadth of the' rail base-,a construction which will permit the j useofa rail much lighter in the web and 4base than the rails at present in use, yet giving the samebiciency as the present heavy'rails. The life of the head of the rails will also beE materially increased owing to the 4fact that the rails areinot constantly subjected to constant deflection between the ties as is the case with present structures. The anchor rods-18 in conjunction with the reinforcing bars 20 serve to prevent spreading of the rails and take up all strains'pro,

duced by a stress tending to tilt the rails away from each other. The anchor rods 17 and bars 19'act in a similar way to resist strains in the opposite'direction, this being due -to the fact that the anchor rods 17 and 18 are located on oppositesides of a.

vertical plane drawn centrallythrough the rail web.

It will lbe seen that .the combined-fish plate and sole plate shown in Fig.y 6 is somewhat longer than the' combined fishiplate and sole plate illustrated in Fi 5, the reafrom the rails after the inside nuts 16 have f been removedfrom the bolts 15, thus leaving the defective rail free to be removed and another one substituted. The said recesses 25 arepreferablyformed during the molding of the bed and if desired may belined'with ak metallic lining to prevent wear if desired, and 1are preferably located on the inside of the rails as the heavy strains are in the'opposite direction and will thus not tend to loosen the sh plates. VIf desired the ends 18b of the anchor rods 18 may extend inthe same direction as the ends 17b of the rods17instead of in the opposite direction as illustrated fin the drawings. The

position of the fish plates 12 and 14 may also be reversed if this isfound advantageous; that is the fish plates 12 and their connected parts may be located on the inside of the rails and the fish plates 14 and connectedparts may be placed on the outside of said rails instead of as shown.

If desired, the spaces between the braces 24 may be filled or partly filled with the usual ballast or any other suitable material, or said spaces may be simply left free and, if found desirable, covered with a cover` of 4any description. In some instances, it may 'forms shown and describedl maybe 'made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a railway road bed of the kind described, a unitary structure comprising the rails, depending means located beneath each rail, reinforcing means extending lengthwise beneath said rails and connected with said depending means, means connecting the reinforcing means together transversely and means for rigidly clamping said depending means and rails together.

2. In a railway road bed of the kind described, a unitary structure comprising the rails, a depending anchor` rod located beneath each rail, a reinforcing rod extending lengthwise beneath-each rail and connected with an anchor rod, means connecting the reinforcing rods together 'transversely and means for rigidly clamping the anchor rods and rails together.

. 3. In a railway road bed of the kind described, a unitary structure comprising the rails, fish-plates arranged in pairs on opposite sides of each rail at intervals for clamping the rails, sole plates carried by said fish plates and extending beneath the rail base, anchor rods detachably connected with said sole plates and depending therefrom, on opposite sides of vertical planes drawn through the rail webs, reinforcing bars beneath each rail and extending lengthwise thereof and connected with said anchor rods and cross-1cinforcing bars connected with said lengthwiseextending reinforcing bars and bridging the space between said rails.

a. In a railway road bed of the kind described, a unitary structure comprising the rails, a cushion extending beneath and in contact with each rail, a plate engaging the lower surface of each cushion, means for clamping said plates, cushions and rails together, reinforcing means extending lengthwise beneath each rail, connections between said reinforcing means and said plates and means connecting said reinforcing means together transversely.

5. A railway road bedv and rail support comprising continuous parallel sleepers of coalescent material, integral cross-braces of similar material extending between said sleepers at intervals, rails supported on said sleepers, clamping plates engaging the rails and having portions extending beneath the rail base and provided with openings, anchor rods extending through said openings and provided with heads seated therein and ,maintained against upward movement relatively to said plates by the rails, said anchor rods having their free portions em-v bedded in the sleepers, reinforcing bars embedded in said sleepers and *extending lengthwise throughout the same and connected with said anchor rods and cross-reinforcing bars embedded in said cross-braces and extending lengthwise thereof from the reinforcing bars in one sleeper to the reinforcing bars in the other sleeper.

6. A railway road bed and rail support comprising continuous parallel sleepers of coalescent material, integral cross-braces ofy similar material extending between said sleepers at intervals, rails supported on said sleepers, clamping plates engaging the rails and having portions extending beneath the rail base and provided with openings, cushions extending beneath and in engagement with the rail bases and located between said rail bases and said clamping plates, anchor rods extending through the openings in said clamping plates and having heads seated therein and maintained against upward movement relatively'to said plates by said cushions, said anchor rods having their free portions embedded in said sleepers, reinforcing bars embedded in said sleepers and extending lengthwise throughout the same and connected with said anchor rods, and cross-reinforcing bars embedded in said cross-braces and extendinglengthwise thereof from the reinforcing bars in one sleeper to the reinforcing bars in the other sleeper.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN B. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. KEHLENBEOK, M. H. LocKwooD.

Copies of tliis patent may be obtained for ve centseach, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, IJ. G. 

